The Consumer Council Newsroom

Consumer Council Urges Consumers To Speak Up On How The Rising Cost Of Living Is Affecting Them

Monday 25 August 2008

At a time when worry and stress is growing among consumers faced with the sharply rising cost of living , the Consumer Council is calling on consumers to tell their real-life stories about the household pressures they are facing. They want to find out how consumers are coping and what they believe should be done to help them as they face into this winter which seems set to bring even more misery and crisis to many households here already struggling to make ends meet.

Extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures

Rather than waiting until things get any worse, the Consumer Council is bringing consumers together to get a first-hand account of their experiences beginning with two open meetings this week in the Holiday Inn, Ormeau Avenue, Belfast on Wednesday, 27 August 2008 at 7.00pm and in the Glenavon House Hotel, Cookstown on Thursday, 28 August 2008 at 7.00pm.

Consumers have their say

Eleanor Gill, Chief Executive of the Consumer Council said: “As this summer draws to a close there are two things people seem to be talking about – the amount of rain coming down and the amount of prices going up.  Recent research shows that 80 per cent of people are worried about their finances, with meeting the costs of food and fuel bills and mortgage repayments topping the stress league[1].   The Consumer Council believes that urgent and coordinated action is needed to provide support and relief to vulnerable households facing crisis.

We intend to present our findings and recommendations on actions needed to alleviate hardship and misery to the Government and business in the next few weeks to ensure that everything that can be done to help and support consumers is being done.

“The two open meetings mark the start of ongoing engagement with consumers.  If consumers cannot attend the meetings, they can still tell us their stories by contacting the Consumer Council on 0800 121 6022 or info@consumercouncil.org.uk”

ENDS

1. Photographers welcome. If you wish to send a photographer contact the Consumer Council press office on 028 9067 4813.
2. Consumer Council media contact: Gráinne Duffy, telephone, 028 9067 4813 or 079 2018 7308 or e-mail, gduffy@consumercouncil.org.uk 
3. The Consumer Council is an independent consumer organisation, working to bring about change to benefit Northern Ireland’s consumers. The Council campaigns for high standards of service and protection and a fair deal for all. It also carries out research, gives advice and publishes reports and other publications. It deals with individual complaints about buses, trains, planes, ferries, natural gas, electricity, coal and water.
4. For more information, visit our website at www.consumercouncil.org.uk